Locomotive structure



April 17, 1934. c. M. DARDEN LOCOMOTIVE STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 9, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l A ril 17, 1934. c. M. DARDEN LOCOMOTIVE STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 9, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zm en f r U/a/m'z/W Dara en Patented Apr. 17, 1934 UNITED STATES OFFICE Application February 9,

11 Claims.

My invention relates to railway rolling stock and consists in a novel construction of the supports for the main air reservoir, power reverse gear, air and steam piping, boiler, running boards,

and other parts of a locomotive carried by the underframe.

It has been the usual practice in the past in locomotive construction to attach various devices and fittings to the locomotive boiler shell by means of studs passing through flanges on the devices and into the shell. Such practice has the objectionable feature that the studs frequently work loose impairing the efficiency of the locomotive, or even causing engine failure. Also, where the boiler is supported from the frame by means of the ordinary expansion plates or waist sheets secured rigidly to both the frame and the boiler, the amount of boiler expansion which will be safely borne by the flexible sheets is obviously 20 limited and these sheets occasionally crack due to excessive expansion.

The main object of my invention is to eliminate studs, rivets, and other attaching elements from the boiler shell and particularly those used in attaching waist or expansion sheets to the shell. Other objects of my invention are to provide better supports for the air and steam pipes extending outside the boiler, and for the main air reservoir and the power reverse gear.

I attain these objects and others which will appear from the following description substantially by supporting the locomotive boiler upon saddles integral with the frame or secured thereto by suitable means, instead of upon the usual waist sheets, by providing air reservoir brackets projecting from the frame instead of attaching the reservoir to the boiler in the usual manner, and by mounting the power reverse gear cylinder upon the valve gear bracket instead of supporting it from the boiler either directly or indirectly, as is the usual practice.

I attain the above objects in the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a side view of a locomotive embodying my invention.

The left half of Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on line 2a2a of Figure 1 and showing the right half of the locomotive looking from the front.

The right half of Figure 2 is a vertical trans verse section taken substantially on line 2b-2b of Figure 1 and showing the right half of the locomotive looking from the rear.

Figure 3 is a detail longitudinal section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

1931, Serial No. 514,661

The locomotive shown in the drawings includes boiler 1, smoke box 2, firebox 3, cradle 5, smoke box saddle 6, main steam cylinders 7, forward truck 8, trailing truck 9, and drivers 10, all of well known construction and in themselves con stituting no part of my invention. The smoke box 2 constituting the front portion of the boiler, is supported on and secured to the usual saddle 6, which may be formed integrally with the cylinders '7, or the main frame 4, or both, if desired.

The firebox 3, depending from the rear portion of the boiler is supported on the cradle portion 5 of the main frame 4 by means of the usual sliding bearings 11 located at the front and back lower edges and on each side of the longitudinal center line of the firebox. Intermediate the smoke box and the firebox, and either secured to the frame by suitable means or integral therewith, I provide saddles 12, 13, 14, and 15 which slidably support the middle portion of the boiler. The boiler is secured rigidly to the frame only at the smoke box saddle and the usual waist sheets are entirely eliminated.

Brackets 16, 17, and 18 project outwardly from the body portions of saddles 12, 13, and 14, respectively, and have horizontal portions 19 on their outer ends which mount the running boards 20. The lower sides of these horizontal portions 19 are provided with semi-circular corrugations 21 which seat various steam and air pipes extending longitudinally of the boiler. Cap members 22 and 23 having complementary corrugations are provided for supporting the piping.

Bolted or otherwise secured to the frame immediately below the brackets 16 and 17 are other brackets 24 and 25 mounting the main air reservoir 26. These brackets may, however, be secured to the brackets 16 and 17 and it would also be within the spirit of my invention to locate them at other points along the frame or to form them integrally therewith. Brake hanger brackets 33 are shown projecting outwardly from the frame adjacent the brackets 16 and 24.

The valve gear bracket mounted on the frame above the forward driver includes inner and outer bars 27a and 27b, respectively, having bearings 30 for the pivot studs 29a, of the reverse link 29. Projecting upwardly from inner bar 27a is an upstanding bracket member composed of vertical legs 31 and 31a and a horizontal bar 28. The power reverse gear cylinder 32 and cross head guide bracket 32a are mounted on the bracket comprising legs 31 and 31a and horizontal bar 28. The valve gearing shown is of the Walschaert type, although other types of gearing might be used by varying the supporting brackets to suit particular requirements. My arrangement of the valve and power reverse gearing has the advantage that the parts are located lower and closer to the steam chamber than they have been located previously in large locomotives permitting the use of shorter connecting rods between the parts.

The mounting of the valve gear and power reverse gear forms the subject matter of my co-pending application Serial No. 687,735, filed September 1, 1933.

Various other modifications as to the details of my invention may be made and various parts may be cast integrally or formed into an integral structure as by welding or secured to adjacent structure by bolts or rivets within the spirit of my invention, and I contemplate the exclusive use of all such variations and modifications as come within the scope of my claims.

I claim:

1. In a locomotive, a main frame, drivers at the side thereof, and a boiler support member on said frame having a part extending upwardly and outwardly from said frame to clear said drivers and having a substantially horizontal outer part, said horizontal part having running board mounting elements on its top portion and pipe seating elements on its bottom portion.

2. In combination, a locomotive main frame, a boiler including a smoke box and a firebox, a smoke box saddle projecting upwardly from said frame and secured to said boiler, rigid members projecting upwardly from said frame and slidably engaging said boiler, elements depending from said firebox and slidably engaging said frame, brackets formed integrally with said members and supporting a running board and external piping.

3. In a locomotive, a main frame, a support member thereon, a boiler slidably mounted on said member, and a running board secured to saidTnember independently of said boiler.

4. In a locomotive, a main frame, a support member thereon, a boiler slidably mounted on said member, and piping secured to said member independently of said boiler.

5. In a locomotive, a main frame, drivers at the side thereof, a bracket for projecting therefrom over said drivers and integral with said frame, and a running board supported on said bracket.

6. In a locomotive, a main frame member, drivers at the side thereof and extending above the same, and a running board bracket projecting upwardly and outwardly from said member to clear said drivers.

7. In a locomotive, a main frame member, drivers at the side thereof, a boiler supported above said member, a bracket extending upwardly and outwardly from said frame to clear said drivers, and a running board member supported on said bracket above said drivers and extending along the side of said boiler.

8. In a locomotive, a main frame member, drivers at the side thereof, a boiler support member rigid with said member and having a part extending upwardly and outwardly from said member to clear said drivers, and a running board mounted on said part above said drivers.

9. In a locomotive, a main frame, a saddle mounted thereon and including a boiler supporting portion and an arm extending outwardly and upwardly from said portion, and a running board carried on said arm above the level of said portion. 105

1D. In a locomotive, a main frame, apparatus mounted at the side of said main frame and projecting outwardly therefrom, and a bracket carried on said frame and including a portion extending outwardly and upwardly and arranged 110 for carrying a running board, piping or the like above said apparatus.

11. In a locomotive, an underframe, a boiler extending longitudinally above said underframe, spaced elements supporting said boiler from said 115 underframe, brackets mounted on and extending outwardly and upwardly from said underframe intermediate said supports, and a running board carried on said brackets.

CLARENCE M. DARDEN. 

